ABIEL FAMILY SHARINGS

Happy Birthday, Singapore!

As Singapore celebrated its 52nd birthday, we went round the table during one of our regular Abiel family gatherings to share our thoughts on what’s it like to live in Singapore for expats.

Every Abiel family staff member mentioned they have had guests marveling at just how easy it was for them to settle down in Singapore. As almost everybody in Singapore speaks English and signages are also in English, our long-staying guests felt that it was the ease of communicating and finding their way around that helped them adjust to life in Singapore quickly.

One of our staff members said she recently handled an overseas telephone enquiry on our Abiel@OneTree property that asked her what it’s like living in Singapore besides the frequently asked questions on our suite rates, unit sizes and range of services. She said it made her proud to be able to answer with confidence that all our units were well appointed and good value for money, and that Singapore was safe, modern and there was good food everywhere!

It is indeed true that one of the best things about living in Singapore is that one can find just about any type of cuisine easily. From fine dining restaurants serving international cuisine to pocket-friendly hawker centers serving local culinary favourites, you can always find something to tickle your palette and satisfy your food cravings. What’s it like living in Singapore? For foodies, Singapore is a food paradise and, many would even say, it’s like living in the food capital of the world.

Another stand-out sharing from a long-term Abiel guest on what’s it like living in Singapore was his keen observations on what he called “quirky Singapore social norms”. For example, this guest has observed that local parents always prompt their young children to address adults as “Uncle” or “Auntie” as a show of respect. He has also noted that any cab driver, regardless of seniority, is addressed as “Uncle” by the locals.

Some of our expats guests are also amused by the way many locals code-switch smoothly between standard English and Singlish, an English-based creole language that has its fans and detractors. If someone back home is to ask what’s it like living in Singapore, a seasoned expat may be able to answer “Ok lah! Very easy one!” in Singlish, which means “I’m coping well and adjusting to life in Singapore is easy”.

Perhaps one of our long-stay guests summed it up best when he was asked what’s it like living in Singapore:”You feel safe walking around the country at any time of the day, anywhere. You can spend as much or as little as you want on groceries and eating out. Everything that you miss from back home can be found for a premium and there are plenty of local or regional alternatives that are good value. Accommodation can be expensive if you choose to rent an apartment in an upscale downtown condo but I got that sorted easily when I found Abiel. Same for transport. There is always Uber for those who prefer to be driven everywhere but you could give yourself options by picking a home that is central with good public transport links – yet another reason I chose Abiel@OneTree.”

Ready to find your perfect new home in Singapore? Contact your helpful Abiel booking executive now at info@abiel.com.sg. You could also visit our website at abielcorporatehousing.com to view photos and get more information on our units. We look forward to celebrating our next National Day with you.